While there are several competitive races in Las Vegas, state senate and assembly seats aren't expected to change parties in the north. Nowhere is that more certain than a district covering Incline Village and much of South Reno, but that race still has a twist.
If you thought the infighting of the primaries was over, not so in Assembly District 26. There, two-term incumbent Republican Randy Kirner is fending off another conservative, Lisa Krasner.
“I was endorsed by the state of Nevada Republican Party. My opponent is part of the ‘good old boys network’ that’s just not working for you [the voters].”
Since no Democrat or third-party candidate chose to run for the seat, it’s now Republican versus Republican. But the state party’s endorsement of Krasner doesn’t necessarily translate into support from the establishment. That’s because of a rift between the party and top GOP leaders. In fact, Governor Brian Sandoval, as well as Assembly Minority Leader Pat Hickey, support Assemblyman Kirner.
Still, Lisa Krasner believes voters in her district have an appetite for change. She teaches political science at Truckee Meadows Community College and the University of Phoenix, and is running on the platform of a strict constitutional conservative.
“I will uphold the constitution. I will uphold the Republican platform. And I will make sure they are represented in their government.”
And Krasner is highly critical of her opponent’s voting record—most of all his support in moving a controversial school funding bill, known as AB46, to Washoe County Commissioners for a vote.
“He engineered the plan to circumvent the Nevada Constitution with AB46 in an effort to raise your sales tax, your property tax.”
But Assemblyman Kirner says the dozens of attorneys working for the legislature didn’t consider it unconstitutional.
“She does not practice law, never practiced law. She’s not a member of the bar, so, when she says it’s a violation of the constitution, it’s her singular opinion. It’s not obviously the opinion of those who are experts in this.”
He supported sending the bill to the county commission because he felt it was a local issue, not to be decided by a legislature dominated by Clark County.
For his part, Kirner is running on experience and his influence in Carson City.
“I’ve got 35 years of business. She has no business experience. I’ve got four years in the Assembly, and I’m the only Northern Nevadan who sits on the Education Committee and on the Ways and Means Committee. My sense of responsibility around that is huge because I’m representing all of us in the North.”
Kirner says that dual role is significant because education accounts for more than half of the state’s budget. Last year, some of the legislation he sponsored reformed high school proficiency exams and offered more support to veterans and their families. This year, he plans to introduce bills on student data privacy and the Millennium Scholarship, among others.
The district the two are vying for encompasses Incline Village and much of southwest Reno.
“That’s a very conservative district. It’s Sharron Angle's old district. It has changed since she represented it, but it’s still very conservative.”
That’s Erik Herzik, who’s the chair of Political Science at the University of Nevada, Reno. He says, in some ways, it’s admirable that Kirner is running on his record because it’s not the most conservative.
“He’s a: ‘I’ve been there; I’ve been effective; vote for me. Krasner is your classic, ‘I’m a constitutional conservative’…how that translates into state policy, or particularly effective legislative leadership remains to be seen.”
Herzik believes Kirner will win, but, based on the primary results, his reelection is not a done deal. Kirner came out about 9 percentage points ahead of Krasner, but has now outraised her more than 2 to 1.
That—along with a call from a party leader for Krasner to drop out of the race—have only energized her. She’s critical of Kirner and other GOP lawmakers for supporting the Governor’s decision to extend certain sunset taxes.
“When the legislature tells people, they are going to eventually sunset a tax. The legislature needs to keep their word to the people of Nevada.”
A chunk of that tax money goes to education, but Krasner believes, instead of taxing people, the state should concentrate on more effective spending, parental involvement and school choice.
But Kirner says, without those taxes, public school would have lost more than 300 million dollars and he couldn’t stand for that. He says his opponent has sided with fringe groups by signing a pledge to never raise taxes.
“When elected, it’s our job to go down there, to hear the issues, to debate the issues and then ultimately come to a decision and vote. I don’t think you sign a pledge in advance that says, 'I won’t do something.' Who are the people who sign those things? They tend to be ultra-conservatives.”
But Krasner says she’s not a radical. In fact, she criticizes Kirner for voting against a bill last session that protects victims of hate crimes motivated by gender identity or expression.
In response to that, Kirner says he doesn’t see why one group should be emphasized because there are already protections in place.
“I sometimes wonder why we really need to do those kinds of things because we already have those protections in the constitution.”
Both candidates suggest the other is running a dirty campaign. Whether that’s true, Republicans can be sure the seat will remain in the party, but the definition of that depends on who you’re talking to.
